What's the difference between the nitrogen cycle and the aquarium cycle? Are they the same thing?

Do you have to clean and quarantine live plants before putting them into your tank? How do you clean/quarantine live plants?

I've never heard the term aquarium cycle but it probably means the same thing as the nitrogen cycle. Live plants can be dipped in a bleach/water solution (19 parts water, 1 part bleach) to kill any snails or other parasites/pests that maybe be on them. Dip them for no more than 1 minute then rinse them thoroughly in dechlorinated water. Personally I never do this and I never quarantine live plants, I just rinse them under tap water first.

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Originally Posted by Plshelpnewfishy

My beta seems to have "swelling" around his Gil's for lack of a better a term what could be the cause of this?

Swollen gills can be caused by high ammonia in the water which means you need to do a water change and do them more frequently. If ammonia burns a betta for too long he will get inflamed gills and many other illnesses as his immune system will start to weaken.

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Originally Posted by Graceful

Quick question: the nitrates in my tank are at 20 ppm. I also just learned that the lights in my tank are 15 watt incandescent, and that I need fluorescent. Could this be causing my plants to suffer, and therefore be causing the nitrates to not be absorbed properly?

Is the solution to my high nitrates a simple change in lighting, along with continuing regular water changes?

Nitrates must be removed with water changes. Some plants suck up nitrates so you don't need to do AS MANY water changes but still check your nitrates if you're not sure if a water change is needed yet. Anything under 40ppm nitrates isn't much of a concern, though.

Epson salt is actually good for plants. I don't think it harms scaleless fish (what do you have?) But it's still not something to use routinely. Even as treatment for digestive problems, use sparingly. Any salt in a freshwater tank is only for treatment or emergencies.